Hot Ticket!

If you are planning on attending the Ruffles & Rust Event...

and I am telling you that you mustn't, mustn't miss it...

you can use the coupon below for $3 bucks off admission on Saturday, October 23.

We love us a coupon!

Weeds and Wildlife

I love books that stay with me for years. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is one of those. Written in 1962, one year before I was born, she foretold/forewarned us about the deadly price toxic agricultural practices would have on our health, our children and our planet. We all know that sad story has come true but I am hopeful that a change is coming.

one of my buddies enjoying goldenrod in my garden

I grew up appreciating 'weeds' as wildflowers and realizing their benefit to insects. Especially the insects who pollinate our food.
In Silent Spring, I remember Rachel talking about bees and how in the fall, they depend on goldenrod to stock up on fuel for the winter. So I grow goldenrod. The wild kind. Along with some other 'weeds'. And I don't chop everything down. I leave seed-heads. And brush and leaf piles. I leave some of those, too. It keeps me hopeful.

Opa!

It is safe to say we are some of the biggest fans of the annual

St. Demetrious Greek Festival.

Why, you ask?

Because it was our first date 25 years ago!

That was the day Doug asked the imfamous question: "How old are you, anyway?"

He was 30 and I was 22 and he hadn't even bothered to wonder how old I was...

he knew I was younger...but not sure how much younger.

It still cracks us up! But we always are cracking each other up...that is one of our super special secrets for staying happily married for almost 25 years.

And what makes our friends roll their eyes at us.

Oh, well.

So on Sunday we once again ate some of our favorite foods and listened to some of our favorite music.

And I am STILL 8 years younger!

Opa!

Bounty for the birds

I recently did a project for Birds & Blooms Magazine.

The Silverware Suet Feeder is in their October issue and you can click on the link to see how it is made. It is pretty strange AND pretty cool to see my name as the by-line. I picked up my extra issues at Barnes and Noble, if you are interested in having your own copy. And if you are a bird lover like me, you can subscribe online. Enjoy!

A Dreamy Day

Wednesday started out just like any other day around here. I had an appointment at 11am and then was just going to drive out to Woodinville to pick up our weekly vegetable share at The Root Connection.

But after my appointment I decided to meander down into Edmonds to check out a food truck I have been hearing about -- here and there: an anywhere grill. Oh my goodness! The menu changes weekly and is posted online along with where the truck will be and for how long. Julie is a mighty fine cook, to say the least!



Hydrangeas at Todd's



The food truck was only a block from Bountiful Home in Edmonds, so I wandered over to Todd's to 'borrow' his garden to eat my lunch in. I used a potting bench for my table and a rolling thing-a-ma-jig for a seat...he was a terrific host and I felt like a queen. Joan of The Weed Lady fame was there too...it is always a treat to see her.

She had brought in some teeny tiny rose hip sprays for Todd. He gathered up a small bouquet for me to take home...a treasured momento of this beautiful fall day.



My rosehips in my bathroom--a reminder of my dreamy day!

Then off to Woodinville. As I was picking my weekly floral bouquet at the farm...Dahlias this time...I wanted to soak up the last of the summer sun. I am really self-conscious of my chubby arms and keep them covered up. But I decided it was my party today and I hadn't invited anyone who would judge me! So off with the linen jacket and on with the glorious sunshine.

People, I can't tell you how much the magic, unexpected events of today meant to me. Walking in the sun; filling my tummy with delicious food; surrounding myself with friends in a garden; simple, thoughtful gestures; my own confident defiance.

It was dreamy!



Autumn!

Happy first day of Fall everyone...it is truly my favorite season.

Soups, Sweaters, Snuggly blankets!

Cool, Crisp, Color changes!

Foliage, Fireplaces, Foggy mornings!

I will stop now...but you get my drift.

Enjoy!

Eco-friendly meets Eco-friendly

I love thrifting, reusing and re-purposing...I believe it is the 'original' green. My family and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. It is why I was able to quit my corporate life 16 years ago to stay home and work on creating our nest in our Little House...indoors and out.

This week is about preparing items for my Lisa's Little House booth at the Ruffles and Rust Event, being held October 22 & 23 at the Monroe Fairgrounds.

As you know, blogging around we pick up hot tips and find inspiration. In the past, I have used Johnson's Paste Wax to create a beautiful, satiny finish on furniture. No more! Thanks to Amber Dusick and her eco-friendly wooden children's toys, I have learned how to make Beeswax Wood Polish. No more ucky petroleum products (not to mention the smell!) and having to wear gloves to apply the wax. Can you see/feel my deep sigh of relief?

I am so pleased that the furniture I am preparing for the Event will be even better for you to have in your home, safer for me to prepare and best of all...better for the earth.

It's a theme



Autumn crocus with a houseguest

I am thinking it is all about the garden this week. Does your life run in themes sometimes? Mine must. Interesting. I will think on that some more.

I took some of these photos at my Mom's over the seasons. She has instilled a love of nature and an awareness of the little things that are magical in our lives. Stopping to admire a spider's web; watching a bird make a nest; foraging for wild berries; the subtle color changes within a flower; planting spring bulbs in the fall and enjoying the surprise of them poking out of the ground in the spring.



Snowdrops...in the snow!

Arum Lily...tried and true family favorite

I love the little things!

Zinnias

I try to always have a bouquet of fresh flowers in the bathroom...it makes me happy. Zinnias have got to be the perfect summer-to-fall transition flower. They have the sherbet colors of summer and the warmness of autumn all rolled into one beautiful, long-lasting bloom.

My garden is...

...my church. I don't mean to be blasphemous or mean to get preachy...I really don't. I am not a religious person but I consider myself a very spiritual person. I connect to something bigger and better than myself when I am out in the garden.

I haven't been spending a lot of time in the garden this year...and I have felt it. My garden has felt it to. But like a best friend/Great Spirit/church family, it hasn't given up on me. It has been there waiting; creating blessings for me; preparing to nourish me; surrounding me in beauty.

And I am grateful.

Lisa's Little House-guests

Sigrid and Bunny and Pipecleaner

Our dear friend, Nancy, house/cat sat for us while we were at Mom's. Two of her granddaughters, Sigrid and Louisa, spent a few nights with her at Lisa's Little House. We don't have kids visit much, so the cats were a litte leary, but Bunny tried to be a good hostess because there were pipecleaners in the equation (she LOVES pipecleaners). And now she loves little girls!

Louisa pointing at bottle stoppers in silver-plated vases.

The girls were fascinated by this place. They had lots of questions for Nancy. Some she could answer and some she couldn't, so we will have a future Q&A visit with the girls so they can get all their questions addressed. I can't wait!

Nancy took some shots of a few of the girl's favorite items. Louisa directed most of the shots, as you will see. Sigrid was the kitty entertainer. And don't worry, I didn't include all 55 photos! Just some of my favorites.

Louisa spotted a price sticker on this color bingo card. From then on the girls wanted to know if all the things they liked in the house were for sale. Love that! Let's make a deal...

"This is candy, you know"

They thought the wooden blocks with the names of past and present kitties was a 'nice' idea.

Blue kitty statue hangs out by the fireplace.

Flower frogs

Every little girl loves bling! Big girls, too.

Crazy tree in my entry that I still need to finish painting. Soon Louisa will be able to reach the tallest leaves.

More treasures under glass

What I love is seeing my Little House through someone else's eyes. And nothing like starting the young'uns out right...Living and Loving Junk!

Retreat

I am a huge fan of these two talented folks, Bob and Deb Kennedy. Their Petite Retreat Autumn Vintage Market is Saturday, September 18 and will be spectacular! Deb is even teaching a workshop that day on her Sweet Sweater Pumpkins.

Here are some of her Sweet Sweater Pumpkins I purchased from her last year, adorning my fall mantle.

I believe our local, small businesses make the world go round. Now is the time to support them!

Feast

Doug and I have been visiting Mom in Dayton, Washington all week. Besides all the delicious food she fixes for us (every family member has their favorite requests!) we have enjoyed a few restaurants in town. For a town with a population of 2500-ish, the fare is world-class.

Patit Creek Restaurant is a family favorite. Not only is the food delicious (5-star) and fresh, fresh, fresh; the garden is a feast for the eyes. Each season is stunning...and they grow a banana tree (heavy on the winter mulch) which is unheard of during Eastern Washington winters.

front of the restaurant

planter with papyrus

amaranth in the front garden

yummy clematis...quite a beauty

Then we ate for the first time at Manila Bay Cafe...oh my! Beautiful decor...my favorite colors; deep reds, yellows and blues.

sunflowers in an assortment of glass containers

daily specials

And the food was dreamy.

our lumpia appetizer was delicious

kalua pig...so succulent and love the banana leaf steamer pouch

and my side salad looked like a flower arrangement...but tasted better!

And the local beer was tasty, too!

We love our time in Dayton...slower pace, time with Mom, beautiful scenery....A Feast for the Soul.